On-demand drone delivery company Flytrex recently received FAA approval to expand its drone delivery service to more residents in Fayetteville, North Carolina.
Described as a milestone waiver, it’s the largest on record for backyard drone delivery, according to a news release, and also allows for operations over people. The waiver makes thousands of households in the area eligible to opt-in for the service to receive food, drinks and other goods via drone. Deliveries will be made in partnership with Causey Aviation Unmanned.
All flights will be within visual line of sight. Orders can be placed from the Flytrex app, where customers can get updates as the UAS flies the delivery route. Items from Walmart and local restaurants and cafes will be lowered by wire into customers’ backyards.
The pilot project between Flytrex and Walmart was announced last September, initially bringing drone delivery to Fayetteville. The goal of the pilot is to explore how drones can deliver items from Walmart in a way that’s convenient and safe. This expansion will allow more homes to experience on-demand drone delivery.
“The FAA approval is important to expanding on-demand drone delivery throughout the U.S. in compliance with the highest possible safety standards,” Flytrex Co-Founder and CEO Yariv Bash said, according to the release. “Through this expansion, we will be able to glean valuable insight into usage and customer preferences, allowing us to further tailor our offering to meet consumer needs. With the ongoing help of the FAA, drone delivery will soon become the rule rather than the exception.”
Flytrex participated in the FAA’s UAS Integration Pilot Program (IPP) and will continue with the BEYOND program, working with the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) as well as the Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) and the North Dakota Department of Transportation (NDDOT) to help tackle the remaining challenges of UAS integration.